The main purpose of this blog is to keep in touch with friends and family, and maybe entertain others with common interests, particularly in relation to the outdoors. We hope you enjoy it, and your comments are valued....

Martin on the TGO Challenge 2017

Wednesday, 28 December 2011

OK, I’m a bit behind. But I’ve tried to be sociable over Christmas, so with house guests for five days this blog posting has taken a back seat. And son Mike’s continuing efforts to decorate his house have drawn a little help from me, probably just wanting to appear to be useful. I have also to apologise to him for dragging him out on his first run, let alone Parkrun, on Christmas Eve. “They were laughing at me running in jeans” he commented about the marshals, “and I got fed up of being overtaken by Father Christmas’s.”

“I’m going to adjust my pace next Saturday” he added, having realised that doing the first of the five kilometres in 4 mins 30 seconds probably wasn’t the most sensible pace to start your first ever run.

Anyway, I’ve already mentioned last year’s version of this walk up Shutlingsloe (here), and the year before (here), and the year before that even got a proper report! as did the year before that – here – in the early days of this blog.

This year Colin, fairly fresh to blogging, quickly wrote about this year’s potter up Shutlingsloe (here), which only took place as a result of a petition from big Andrew (aka Notchy). So, with kind permission from Colin, and just a smidge of editing, here’s what he thought of it.

“There’s always first time for everything. Last night it was one of Martin and Sue’s evening walks. Martin has said in the past that sometimes it will only be about 3 people. Well last night it was 17. I think Martin ran out of fingers to count us in the dark and with everyone bobbing about in the car park. Head touches beamed in to your eyes. I am sure he had to do a few recounts. (Ed: yes, Colin, arriving late didn’t help our cause, and I was dazzled by both the sudden popularity of this annual event following the protest after it was deleted from our programme, and by all the Petzls shining in my face.)

Anyway we all set off on easy paths up onto Shutlingsloe above Macclesfield. At 506m (1660ft) it’s a steep sided hill and sometimes described as the Matterhorn of Cheshire. It is the third highest peak.

The weather was damp with low cloud. On reaching the top Martin bound up onto the Twig (sic) point for his photo in the cloud before leaping back down to his rucksack.

From where he produced Fudge and Fudge Brownies, and hot mint tea. And a box of Rocky Roads appeared from Diana’s bag. We wouldn’t go hungry or thirsty! After much appropriate jollity, JJ then gathered everyone around, for us to blast out the We Wish You a Merry Christmas song.

Brownie Any One?

Fudge anyone?

After quite some time on the top, it wasn’t just the children who were getting cold, so it was time to head back down to the car park where those with children went home and the rest of us gathered in the Leather’s Smithy down the road. Where I must say the light Christmas ale was very nice.